


I hate him more than the color orange.

by Talliya



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: AU where the war isn't a thing., Alcohol, Camelia Claustra - Freeform, Crowe Week 2019, F/M, Fluff, Luche Lazarus - Freeform, Noctis Lucis Caelum - Freeform, Nyx and Lib are 30. Prompto is 18., Raja Lucis Caelum, Regis Lucis Caelum - Freeform, Rex is 29 and Crowe is 26 in this fic., This is doofy and light hearted., mentions of:, with lots of snarky banter.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-04 19:21:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18610888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talliya/pseuds/Talliya
Summary: Crowe may have just met the man of her dreams.





	I hate him more than the color orange.

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any rights to Final Fantasy XV|Kingsglaive or their characters. This work is not for profit.
> 
> Written for Crowe Week 2019 | Prompt: Orange.

Crowe hated the color orange. _**Hated**_ it. She was pretty sure that was exactly why her friends’ bar’s theme colors were brown, orange, and purple. It was obnoxious. Everything was painted in a mix of orange and purple, except anything made of wood, which Nyx and Libertus insisted must remain their true colors.

If she didn’t enjoy their company (and alcohol) so much, she would never enter the building. As it was, she was currently sitting idly at one of the low tables - the only one that wasn’t filled with people - surrounded by odd end stools, most of which where various tree stumps varnished against alcohol stains. She was watching the room and tapping her finger lightly against her still full mug of beer as Nyx waited tables and Libertus took orders from behind the bar. That was when _he_ walked in.

He was tall and swarthy skinned, thick black locks feathered about his head while deep green eyes surveyed the room. A small tug at the corner of his mouth made her insides jump, and then he was asking if any of the empty seats around her were taken. She wasn’t even sure when he’d left the door and crossed the room to her table. His low voice turned her insides to jelly and she simply stared for a moment.

Crowe blinked, stopped herself from literally shaking her head to clear it, and gestured to the open spaces. “It’s just me here, feel free.”

“Just you? I find that hard to believe.” The man smiled at her and Crowe decided then and there that she hated him as much as the orange paint on the wall behind her.

She rose an inquisitive brow at him, “Oh?”

He shrugged and gave her a grin, she was sure her insides would never recover. “Someone pretty as you, with a beer mug in front of her. I dunno, I find it hard to believe you’re alone. Besides, drinking alone is bad for you, even if you are in a bar.”

The comment startled a laugh out of her, gaining her Libertus’ attention, she saw a grin crack his face then he waved at them, “Hey! You made it!”

Crowe was glad she’d already covered her mouth to stifle her laughter because her expression fell pretty quickly. She did NOT want to know that this gorgeous man was friends with Libertus. It wasn’t fair. She couldn’t date a friend of one of her best friends. That was just weird. She tried her best to keep an amused half smile on her face as Libertus came to their table with a beer for the man.

Libertus plunked the mug on the table before clasping arms with him, “Rex, it’s good to see you.”

Rex... where had she heard that before? She leaned her chin on a hand, her elbow on the table as she watched them. That’s right, Rex was Libertus’ roommate in college. Damn.

“Hey Lib, don’t you know it’s rude to interrupt a guy when he’s speaking to a lady?” Rex gave Crowe an apologetic smile, she waved him off with a shake of her head.

Libertus made her snort the swallow of beer she’d opted to take out her nose with his response, “Who, Crowe?”

Nyx was instantly behind her thumping her on the back as she reached for napkins to dry off her face. She gave Libertus a wry look, “Hey, I’m a girl you know!”

“Bein’ a ‘girl’ don’t make you a ‘lady’.” Libertus tossed back at her.

She glared at him but decided to take another swallow of her beer in place of a response, she’d already embarrassed herself enough in front of the hot guy.

“ _You’re_ Crowe?” Rex’s eyes were huge and he looked as if he were offended by the notion.

She quirked another brow at him, “The only one I know, what’s it to you?”

He snorted and flopped down onto a stool right next to her instead of across the table like he had been. He held out a hand, “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Crowe shook his hand, not sure if she should be flattered or scared that the man knew who she was. Honestly, what had Libertus said about her? She doubted any of it was good. They’d been friends since high school, when her parents had moved to Galahd, and she knew she had her fair share of stories that Libertus wouldn’t want told about him either.

“It’s nice to meet you too.” She gave him a small smile, but deflated inside. This really wasn’t fair.

Nyx squeezed her shoulder before going back out to wait on people and clear tables, she gave him a grin, glad that at least _someone_ seemed to understand her plight. His moving away seemed to snap Libertus back to reality as well and he wiggled his hand at them, “You guys get acquainted and I’ll check back with you on my break. Don’t do anything weird to my sister Rex.”

Crowe rolled her eyes and threw a napkin at the back of his head as he walked away. She glanced sideways at Rex, “You _do_ know that I’m not actually his sister right?”

Rex chuckled and Crowe wished she could drown it the sound of it, “Yeah, I know. Lib’s been hassling me to come out to Galahd to visit for about a year now. Mostly so I could finally meet his best friends; one Crowe Altius and one Nyx Ulric.”

He said their names like he was reading from an attendance list and it made her chuckle again. “Nyx is the one waiting tables. If you didn’t realize that already.”

He nodded his head, “So, you **aren’t** here alone. You’ve just no one to sit with you.”

Crowe opened her mouth to make a comeback to that, realized she didn’t really have one because it was accurate, and closed it again. She shrugged and took another swallow of her beer.

“So, do you really not like it when he calls you his little sister?” Rex was watching the rest of the bar as he asked, so she doubted he saw the sharp look she gave him.

She heaved a sigh, “No, not really. I don’t mind be thought of as his sister, it’s nice actually. But, he says it so often and as an excuse for his behavior... it’s just, really annoying sometimes.”

Rex turned to look at her, seeing the serious frustration in her liquid brown eyes. He tilted his head in understanding, “I could see how that would be frustrating. But, I mean. You could do it back?”

She gave him a look that clearly said she had no idea what he meant, it made him laugh. Crowe was lucky she was already seated because her knees turned to jello.

“You could use the big brother shit on him. Say, ‘Oh I’m sorry, I can’t date you, my big brother wouldn’t approve.’ Or, ‘I don’t do things my big brother does, it’s just weird.’ Or, whatever. I’m not actually sure what exactly he does to you.” He grinned at her over his drink before taking a swallow.

Crowe couldn’t stop her eyes from following the motion of his throat, she averted them as fast as she could and pretended to think about what he’d said. In reality she was berating herself for staring so obviously. She was saved from finding an answer by Libertus coming back to their table, a plate full of breadsticks to share and a soda pop for himself. Nyx moved behind the counter to work the bar, and their newest member, a young blonde barely old enough to be allowed to carry drinks, began waiting tables.

“Alright, break time for me. I’ve only got half an hour though, then Nyx gets his break.” Libertus grinned at them, “So, how’s it going?”

“Oh, we were just complaining about how annoying you can be.” Rex grinned at him.

Libertus spluttered, an incredulous look overtaking his face. “Well, see if I ever try to set either of you up again.”

He viciously stuffed a breadstick into his mouth and pouted. Crowe looked at him like he was insane, “Set us up? When has that EVER worked Libertus? You tried to set me up with Nyx in high school. I beat the shit out of him... for hitting on me. Why and how he wound up being one of my best friends I don’t know, but I am glad of it. Then you tried to set me up with Luche, and he joined that gang that tried to wipe out our town. You don’t exactly have the best luck with that.”

Rex had a pondering look on his face, “Wait, wait, wait. You were trying to set us up? Like, with each other?”

Still pouting Libertus nodded his head at Rex. Crowe blushed scarlet while Rex banged his head onto the table top and left it there, speaking from that position. “Damn man, you could have said something along those lines. I’d have wrapped things up with my brothers sooner.”

Crowe downed her beer and left the table to go order another from Nyx, she was sure she couldn’t be any redder and she wasn’t sure she liked the implication that Rex would have come running if Libertus had said he had someone for the man to date. She banged the mug down on the counter making Nyx raise his eyebrows at her.

“What’s your deal?” He took it and refilled it before sliding it back to her.

“Did you know that Libertus was trying to set me and Rex up on a date?” She glared at him.

He raised his hands in surrender, “I swear I didn’t. I know he was hoping you guys would get along, but I didn’t think he meant like that.”

She huffed, took her mug, and went back to her table.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t like ‘planning’ on you guys dating or anything. But, I did hope you’d get along. And then Crowe-.” Libertus stopped talking as Crowe returned to her seat. She noticed but didn’t comment, just took a swallow of her beer and snagged a breadstick to munch on so she wouldn’t have to talk herself.

“Oh come on, don’t be like that Crowe.” Libertus whined.

She looked at him, swallowed her food, “Be like what?”

“Oh, cold.” Rex smiled at her then looked over to Libertus, “Yeah, I definitely like her.”

She glared at him too and ate another breadstick. Once she was calmer she speared Libertus with her eyes again, “So, ‘then I’ what?”

Libertus swallowed audibly, “Well... um, you. Shit. Look I’m on the other side of the table, with a mostly straight shot to the door. Do you think you could at least kill me outside?”

Crowe just looked at him, Rex was decidedly confused.

Libertus deflated, “When he came in you lit up like a firework. It’s not like I don’t know what your types are after all these years. Then Rex b-lined for you and I was hard pressed to stay behind the counter and not do a jig.”

Words seemed to fail him and it was obvious that he was poised to run out of the bar, Crowe shook her head at him. “So what? This is the only empty table.”

A glass shattered behind the counter and they all jerked their eyes to find Nyx cursing at himself, Prompto was grinning from ear to ear as he handed him a fresh glass and got the broom. The blonde turned and winked at them, Crowe felt her ears burning.

“Come on Crowe, I know you’re not this stupid.” Libertus blinked at her, “There are plenty of pretty women in here, yeah you included, but he doesn’t need to sit down to talk to them.”

Crowe gave him a look, then turned to look at Rex, who was bright red himself and seemed to find the half full mug in his hands very interesting. Crowe opened her mouth, and then closed it. She had nothing to say to something like that. Turning her gaze back to her own drink she took a swallow before snatching another breadstick.

She looked up at the still poised to run Libertus and gave him a wicked grin, “I’ll kill you later.”

Libertus sank into his seat and began eating again, after a while he looked up at them and asked, “Would that be weird for you guys?”

Crowe’s eyes whipped from the women offering to do jello shots from their navels to Libertus, Rex’s eyes slowly slid up from the table. Rex was the first to answer, “Why would us dating be weird?”

Crowe blinked, and looked over at him. “It _wouldn’t_ be weird?”

“I don’t think it would be. I mean, unless you’ve got something against dating friends of friends. I however would prefer it that way. If they can manage to be friends with the same people as me, obviously we’re going to get along.” He shrugged a shoulder and took a swallow of his beer before snatching up the last breadstick.

“Huh, I never thought of it that way.” Crowe turned back to her own drink as she thought it over.

Nyx came over and tapped out, sending Libertus back behind the bar, he had a glass of juice and his own platter of breadsticks. Though Nyx also brought potato wedges, ketchup, and ranch to the table with him, along with plates for them all. As he sat down he didn’t bother introducing himself, relying on Libertus and Crowe to have done it for him already. “Hey Crowe, do you think you could stay long enough to cover Prompto’s break in about an hour?”

“What? Why? Where are you going to be?” She knew Libertus worked until closing on Fridays, so it wasn’t him leaving.

Nyx blushed and ducked his head, “I’ve got a date.”

“Bullshit.” She sat back and crossed her arms a smug expression crossing her face, “Stalking the Oracle isn’t a date.”

Nyx’s eyes narrowed and he threw a potato wedge at her, “Shut up! I’m not ‘stalking’ her.”

Crowe tapped the side of her lips, an evil smirk washing over them, “That’s right! The last time she was here she said you following her around made her feel safer and asked you to guard her the next time she went about doing healings at night.” She leaned forward a bit, “That’s still not actually a date Nyx.”

“Argh! You’re insufferable!” Nyx shoveled food into his mouth as fast as he could without choking in an effort to get away from Crowe’s gleeful look. As a result he left most of the potato wedges and breadsticks - taking one for the road as he waved goodbye. He called over his shoulder as he left, “I’ll have to actually meet you later Rex. Don’t let Crowe drown you in beer!”

“Hey~!” Crowe slumped back in her chair and let out a sigh, “Guess I deserved that actually.”

Rex turned to her, resting one elbow on the table and leaning his chin on his hand, a small smile on his face. “So... would you date me?”

Crowe was so startled by the question that she choked on the potato wedge she was eating. Rex quickly thumped her back for her a guilty look on his face. Crowe took a drink of her beer and cleared her throat before answering, “I don’t know. All I know about you is that your first name is Rex, you’re friends with Libertus, and were his roommate in college.”

Rex looked horrified, “That’s seriously it? He never mentioned to you guys who I am?”

Crowe tilted her head and really looked at him for a moment, “Well, I mean, I could _guess_ but no, he never actually told us.”

Rex’s head yet again hit the table, “Damn it.”

Deciding to let him off the hook Crowe asked, “So, this ‘thing’ with your brothers... what exactly was it?”

A flash of energy seemed to flow through him and he sat up and beamed at her, “We decided to start a foreign exchange program. Not just for high schoolers and university students, but for businesses as well. We finally got Accordo, Tenebrae, and Niflheim to agree to it a few days ago.”

Crowe blinked, she hadn’t expected that. “That’s amazing! It’ll probably help loads with foreign relations too.”

“That’s what I was hoping for when I suggested it a little over a year ago.” He grinned at her, “Myself and Raja having been the intermediaries. Tenebrae was all for it from the get go, as Princess Lunafreya was in the city at the time when I first suggested it. She convinced her brother it would be worthwhile. Raja got the easy job of being ambassador to Accordo, though I didn’t envy him. First Secretary Claustra is a hard woman to win over. I spent most of the last year in Niflheim trying to convince the Emperor it was a good idea. He finally agreed two weeks ago, he sent his nephew Loqi with me when I came back as their first exchange. I believe my own nephew will be the trade.”

“Wow, is the Prince up for going?” She’d heard about how reticent Prince Noctis was and while part of her thought it would do him some good, the other wondered if such a large undertaking was wise.

“He agreed, said it might be fun.” Rex shrugged.

She looked him over again, rose a brow, “So, you’re okay with dating a commoner?”

Rex rolled his eyes, “I’m okay with dating anyone, so long as they’re the right someone.”

Crowe snorted and took another swallow of her beer. She fought a losing battle against the blush creeping across her face but managed to look Rex in the eyes. “Well, I guess? We could try at least?”

Rex beamed at her, and yep, she hated him. He turned her to goo with a smile, and if she let him, could turn her whole world upside down. And she was going to let him.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a whole universe full of different family members for various XV characters. Like Prompto's adoptive parents, Queen Aulea's family, King Regis' siblings as something or other (can't at the moment remember what) mentions that he is Mors' oldest... meaning there are others. So... yeah... Regis, Raja, and Rex (all of them mean 'king'). >_> I also have Gladio's mother, and Ignis' parents as well...


End file.
